News

The Saratoga High School class of 1962--the school's first graduating class--holds its 50th reunion

By Deborah Rice, For Saratoga News

Posted:
11/12/2012 07:30:53 PM PST

Updated:
11/12/2012 07:30:54 PM PST

It's wonderful to see friends and classmates who still care about their school--and about each other--after half a century.

Seventy-five members of the first class to graduate from Saratoga High School attended their 50th anniversary reunion over the Oct. 26-28 weekend.

It was a unique group, that class of 1962.

They were the ruling senior class for three years, starting at Saratoga High as sophomores. They transferred from Los Gatos High School to a brand-new campus of few buildings, no trees and not much landscaping to become leaders of the new Saratoga High School. They were the ones who picked the school colors and the school mascot.

But 1961 was time for once-small Saratoga to have its own high school. The town was growing. Companies like General Electric, Lockheed, IBM, Philco-Ford and fledging technology companies attracted executives from all over the country. It was a time when houses sold for tens of thousands of dollars and families moved to live in a beautiful village nestled in the hills and surrounded by orchards.

Out of 178 class members, 75 attended the three-day event.

"It felt like a big hug. It was a good time," said reunion organizer Marilyn Drake Jackson of the weekend. "We were all comfortable and glad to see each other. It was a happy reconnection."

"The committee chose to keep everything in Saratoga. That meant people could walk from their hotel to all the events," said Jackson. "It was a good decision."

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The weekend schedule: a Friday night gathering at the Bell Tower Bistro, a Saturday tour of the Saratoga High campus, dinner at the Foothill Club, after-hours at local spots and Sunday afternoon wine tasting at Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards. The Foothill Club was a familiar location for the main Saturday night event. It was where many had taken dance lessons during seventh and eighth grade and some married in later years.

A small group planned the reunion, as they have every five years since graduation. Committee members included Lea Ann Hernandez, Mike Hawkes, Joanne Johnson, Martie Vaughan, Penny Thompson Parisi, Peggy Oldenkamp Olivera and Jackson.

For the 45th reunion, the committee produced a comprehensive booklet that outlined classmates' lives. The committee decided the 50th would be their final get-together, assuming that classmates would have had enough.

That decision changed by the end of the weekend.

"We had such a good time, I can't wait for the next one," said Rhoda Teplow.

Saturday's tour of the campus was led by current Saratoga High student Deepak Ravikumar and included the Multi Media Journalism Center, the library and the McAfee Center.

"Wow, the campus is so big now!" said Olivera of Coarse Gold, Calif., during the tour. "We had just a few buildings, and no pool or athletic fields. Our football games were played at Los Gatos High."

Dr. Hugh Roberts, acknowledged by many as a favorite teacher, attended the reunion and delivered a perspective when the tour stopped at the McAfee Center. Roberts was one of the first teachers hired by principal Dr. Vernon Trimble to join a team of highly regarded academic leaders at the new Saratoga High School.

Speaking about the class of 1962, Roberts pointed out:

 "They graduated to Wagon Train, Gunsmoke and Andy Griffith; in music to Elvis and Chubby Checker, but not yet the Beatles. By the time they graduated from college Vietnam was at its peak and the protests and assassinations of 1968 turned the world over. It was at the end of 'Happy Days' and sleepy little Saratoga's minority population was miniscule;

 "As a class they were special for being seniors for three years (Saratoga High opened with only freshmen and sophomores) and starting all the traditions of the school. They were serious learners and high achievers--all these traditions have carried through today: '62, it was a very good year!"

Roberts was the author of both the Saratoga High fight song and the alma mater, sung by the former Falcons on the steps of the quad while a class photo was bring taken.

"Hugh Roberts was one of my favorite teachers," said Jackson, who would become a teacher herself. "He taught me to think ... and not to accept that just because it is written, it must be true. I had and still have great respect for him, as do many former students."

She baby-sat for Roberts in high school and over the years, and she and Roberts have become friends.

Classmates came from all over the country. As to who came the furthest? That would be P.W. Johnson and his wife, who came from Greenville, S.C. Johnson moved to Saratoga in the eighth grade, went to Saratoga High and thought California would always be his home. However, after attending the Air Force Academy, those plans changed.

"I came back to California for my first reunion five years ago but plan not to miss another," said Johnson.

Only a few classmates still live in Saratoga or Los Gatos. Hernandez, whose family owns the Saratoga Oaks Lodge, is one.

"LeAnn is our class leader and cheerleader," said Johnson. "She's the spirit and the heart behind our class. She is an inspiration to all of us."

Some things change, some don't.

What has changed?

Students then had rules: dress codes, curfews and a closed campus.

"We didn't like the rules then, but they seem a great idea now," said Hernandez. "It made things easier and simpler. Ironically, all the choices and options seem to make things much more complicated now."

"The high school campus has changed. There seems to be a lot of money spent on the school. The McAfee, the library, the MMJ Center are all beautifully done and state-of-the-art," said Johnson.

Yearbooks have changed.

"Three years ago, I spoke to an AP history class about the early days at Saratoga High. I took my yearbook--all black and white, except for one center color photo. It was the same day that the new yearbook came out. It was so big it looked like an encyclopedia. The difference was startling," said Jackson.

The diversity of the high school has changed. In 1962, 98 percent of the students were white, with only a few minorities.

Students didn't drive, nor did parents drive them. "You walked to school through orchards," said Jenni Young Taylor. "Also, back then one or two guys owned cars and drove them to school. When I visited the school recently, the parking lot was full and loaded with very fancy cars!"

"Downtown Saratoga has changed. Back then it had everything: a hardware store, music shop, clothing store, drug store, market and a variety store," said Taylor.

There were no competitive sports for girls in 1962.

"There was a girls' tennis club, that was it. If there had been girls sports back then, there would have been a lot of us who would have participated and we would have been good!" said Jackson.

"It was a simple time," she added. "We didn't feel the academic or social pressure that kids feel today."

"My parents bought their home off Fruitvale Avenue for $14,000 in 1952 ... it recently sold for $4.5 million!" said Lukenbill. "We considered ourselves fortunate and middle class, or upper middle class people. There were very few super wealthy families. Most of us would not be able to afford to live here today."

What has stayed the same?

Saratoga has always been considered a top academic high school. Attendees were glad that Saratoga High has maintained its reputation as a state and national leader in academics.

"We got a great education and many went to good colleges, including Ivy League schools and military academies," said P.W. Johnson. "Most of us say that our top-notch education prepared us well for what was ahead in our lives. And most would tell you that we have great memories of our years at Saratoga High School."

Reunion reviews have been nothing but positive. Teplow emailed after the weekend, "Wow, wow, wow. I've never had so many hugs. It was a wonderful time."

For anyone watching, it was like the former classmates had seen each other yesterday.

"With all the history we shared, you could pick right up where you left off. You didn't need to ask a lot of questions. And after all this time, no one was out to impress. We just wanted to celebrate friendships," said Jackson.

The only regret heard over the weekend was a wish for more time to spend with old friends.

"Saratoga was a wonderful place to grow up and go to school. It was a textbook life without teenage angst," said Breta Bailey Malcolm of La Connor, Wash. "We were a fortunate group. Life was offered to us as doors wide open with seemingly limitless possibilities."

No one in the class became famous, but most say they've had success and have led interesting lives. Most are now retired, but some still work. They've been business owners and homemakers, artists and writers, teachers, school administrators, college professors, secretaries, engineers, financial advisors, Realtors and investors, vintners, attorneys, doctors, nurses, therapists, general contractors, farmers, flight attendants and pilots, career military, and priests. One classmate was a stunt double in the movies.

"It sure has gone fast," said Jackson about the last 50 years. "Our reunions have given us an added bonus: lifelong friendships."

Everyone is looking forward to the next reunion in five years--No. 55.